This invention relates to portable data entry devices capable of hand held use for data collection.
Portable data entry devices are known which are used for data collection purposes. Such devices are used in a wide variety of applications, such as in the fields of hand held computers--particularly those employing stylus operated data entry displays, portable data entry devices employed by merchandise delivery services, portable data entry devices used by field service personnel in the utilities industries and the like. Devices of this type typically employ a data entry mechanism, such as a stylus, a bar code reader, or dedicated alphanumeric or function keys (or a combination of both), and a visible display to enable the user to verify the data entry. Both the data entry mechanism and the display are carried by a housing usually molded from a suitable plastic material, along with the electronic circuit components and battery power required to provide an operable self-contained unit.
In the past, the housing for such devices has been shaped as either a large tablet with substantial thickness required to enclose the electronic circuitry and the display device, or a relatively elongated housing with a smaller display having indentations molded into those portions of the housing surface intended to be gripped by the thumb and fingers of the user. For the latter type of device, it has been necessary to either mold a single version conformable with either a user's left hand or a user's right hand, or to provide two different models: one molded for a right handed user and one molded for a left handed user. The first approach suffers from the disadvantage of disregarding the preference of individual users, forcing a given user to use the device with a particular hand irrespective of the handedness of the user. The latter approach suffers from the disadvantage of requiring two sets of molds in order to produce both the right handed version and the left handed version. This two model approach is substantially more expensive to initially tool up and requires inventories of both types of device irregardless of the actual immediate demand.
A still further problem with all types of known hand held portable data entry devices has been the lack of satisfying aesthetic feel of the gripping surfaces to the user by virtue of the fact that the housings are typically molded from an impact resistant, hard and smooth plastic material. While efforts have been made to improve the feel, such as by providing a pebble grain finish in a manner analogous to that provided in camera cases and soft to the touch flexible plastic or rubber materials adhered to the outer surface of the housing, such results have not been entirely satisfactory to date.